


The Night Shift

by QwahaXahn



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Normal Life, Civilian AU, Daisy plays video games, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Foster Care, Hacker Skye | Daisy Johnson, Late Night Conversations, Late at Night, Normal Life, POV Skye | Daisy Johnson, Skye | Daisy Johnson-centric, Straight-laced Daniel Sousa, suit shop/nerd store AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26314738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QwahaXahn/pseuds/QwahaXahn
Summary: Daisy Johnson works the night shift at a video game store, and it's the most boring job in the world... until the clerk from the high-end suit store across the way asks to come over and use the microwave.Inspired by this Tumblr post: https://orarewedancy.tumblr.com/post/165972361138/so-i-work-at-a-video-game-store-in-a-mall-and
Relationships: Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Comments: 7
Kudos: 86





	The Night Shift

If someone had told Daisy Johnson five years ago that she’d be spending the prime of her life working night shifts at Game-N-Go, she’d have laughed in their face. And maybe kicked them in the shins, for good measure.

As a consequence of entering her rebellious teen phase while getting shunted through the foster system, she never quite left said phase behind. Even now, at twenty-three years old, she had an attitude that did her few favors. But at least she’d stopped punching authority figures.

Mostly.

After yet another scan of the still-empty racks, she yawned into her open hand and wiped her palms against her eyes—probably smudging something, but who cares? Nobody would be coming in here past 1:00 AM.

Desperate for a way to keep her brain from shutting down completely, Daisy slid out of her chair and zombie’d her way out from behind the counter. She trudged down the center aisle, eyes tracing the rows of new releases. Endless carbon-copies of the same games, churned out yearly by big name franchises. Where was the innovation? The appreciation for the  _ craft _ ?

She’d become jaded with most of the new releases these days—but she wasn’t above picking up a strong indie title every once in a while. Fighting games were her favorites... but those were hard to enjoy alone. So this time, she selected a simple 2D platformer—an old-school remastered Metroidvania that she could play on one of the store’s demo consoles with the admin access she’d, ah...  _ obtained _ for herself.

Just as she was settling in to the home screen, a voice interrupted from across the room and nearly startled her out of her skin.

“Um... hello?”

Daisy yelped, dropping her controller with a loud clatter. She pushed herself to her feet, just in time for a man to quickly come around the corner and down the aisle, slowing to a stop a few feet away.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Daisy brushed her black jeans off with both hands. “Fine. Just wasn’t expecting...” she looked up at the man. “...company.”

He had short, dark hair, clean-cut and styled in a simple, formal side part. His impossibly dark eyes stared at her with concern, lines furrowing his strong features. He was dressed like he’d stepped right out of an old movie, with his tailored suit and impossibly composed look. Daisy noticed that despite his clear physical fitness—his  _ very _ clear fitness, she noted as she took a second look—he leaned with his left hand on a metal crutch with a brace that encircled his lower arm. In his other hand, he held a plastic bag filled with something. Daisy realized that he’d half-run all the way across the store on a crutch because he thought she’d injured herself.

Suddenly sheepish as the man continued to examine her intently for injury, she waved a hand. “I’m good. Promise.” She looked around at the shelves of brightly colored cases. “You, uh... you wanna buy a game?”

The man raised his eyebrows. “Oh, no. Sorry. I was just wondering if... well, I saw that you have a microwave behind the counter, and I was wondering if I could heat up my dinner. It’s the only one in this section of the mall. Everywhere else is closed.”

“Working late too, huh?” Daisy asked, slipping around him and heading for the front desk.

The man followed slowly, using his crutch to stay upright. “Yeah. I’m with the store across the way.”

“Didn’t know people usually bought suits this late,” Daisy commented as they reached the counter—and the aforementioned microwave.

The man shrugged. “They usually don’t. But it’s a 24-hour mall and yadda yadda company policy, so here I am.”

Daisy nodded, popping open the microwave door and sweeping her arm majestically to indicate its empty chamber. “Well, there you go, mister...?”

“Sousa,” the man finished, giving her a quick smile. “Daniel Sousa.”

“Daisy Johnson,” she replied with a half-grin, half-grimace. “I’m usually not this much of a mess.”

As she took his plastic bag and started the microwave with the boxed food inside, Daniel settled down in a chair on the other side of the countertop. He set the crutch off to one side and leaned back, examining Daisy with his head cocked. She became acutely aware of how disheveled she looked in comparison to him, with her torn jeans and baggy concert tee. She remembered, with growing horror, her absentminded smudging of her makeup not long before.

“Thank you,” Daniel said, when she handed him his warmed-up plate. “Much appreciated.”

Daisy looked at the messy plate of pasta which had clearly been tossed about when he raced to her side after her klutz-fest a moment ago. “Sorry. I guess I kinda messed it up, huh?”

Sousa regarded it for a long moment. “You know... I like it better this way.”

Daisy, for some reason, believed him. She doubted the man had a dishonest bone in his body. His strong, tanned, muscular...

“You can stick around and eat here, if you want,” she blurted. “Nobody’s coming by this late. Except weirdos who eat dinner after midnight.”

Daniel chuckled. “Point.”

Daisy hopped up onto the counter and stretched. “Okay. Confession.”

Sousa glanced at her, raising an eyebrow between bites of lasagna.

“I’m usually this much of a mess. Things get dire.”

Daniel nodded. “Dire sounds fun. You wouldn’t believe how boring it gets over there.” He cocked his head toward the other store.

“Really?” she asked. “You mean taking down Master Smythe’s latest vest deets isn’t the best part of your day?”

“Believe it or not, no,” the man replied. “What I would give to unwind...”

In that moment, an idea occurred to Daisy. A terribly stupid, reckless, idiotic idea that she should never have thought about for more than a second.

“Let’s do it, then.”

Daniel looked at her. “What?”

“Let’s unwind!” She hopped off the counter and turned to take a couple steps backward down the hall, arms wide and facing Sousa. “Come on. I already have a game running back there. Come play a round or two.”

Sousa glanced between her and the door. “I’m... not much of a game guy.”

“That’s not what they’re called,” Daisy informed him. “And it doesn’t matter! I’m sleep-deprived anyway and nobody in their right mind would be out here this late. Let’s give it a shot!”

Daniel’s eyebrows were raised about as far as they could go. For a moment as he sat there, contemplating in silence, she worried that she’d just made things weird. What if he—?

“Sure.” Sousa grabbed his crutch and pushed himself to his feet. “You’re on.”

Daisy grinned. Did she always feel this warm and fidgety? “Follow me.”

Only a couple minutes later, Daisy was back in front of the console screen. Only this time, the Player 2 icon was lit up as Daniel Sousa took up a chair beside her. Daisy navigated them through the opening screen.

“Quake?” Sousa asked.

Daisy gave him a side-eye. “What? It’s my username.”

“No, no, it’s good.”

She stared at him, but there was nothing except the twinkle in his dark eyes to indicate he was anything but completely serious. Reluctantly, she nodded. “I know.”

When they reached character selection, Daisy flicked through the options and quickly settled on the one she knew best.

“Player One: THE CAVALRY!” the announcer declared.

Sousa frowned. “Who do I pick?”

“Just choose one,” she replied. “Doesn’t matter. We’re on the same team.”

Looking more than a little bewildered, Sousa made his choice. “Player Two: THE MONKEY.”

Daisy couldn’t suppress a quiet groan at his decision.

“What?” Daniel asked immediately. “Did I pick the wrong one?”

“No, no!” This time it was Daisy’s turn to hold a straight face. “He’s good.”

Daniel lifted his chin. “I bet he is. I bet he’s the best character.”

“Maybe in six seasons,” Daisy scoffed. “When they finally buff his stats.”

“Sometimes the best character comes from their story, not their ability,” Daniel retorted.

“Sure,” Daisy smirked. “Say that again when I’m kicking your ass.”

“I thought you said this was a team game?”

Daisy shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I’m still gonna win.”

Daniel scoffed. “We’ll see, Quaker.”

“It’s  _ Quake _ .”

“Sure.”

Daisy rolled her eyes and pressed the button labeled: START GAME.


End file.
